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Friday, 22 May 2015

Rodgers expects Raheem Sterling to see out Liverpool contract

Brendan
Rodgers has said he expects Raheem Sterling to continue to play for
Liverpool for the final two years of his contract, despite the furore
surrounding the England winger’s future.

Sterling’s agent,
Aidy Ward, was quoted on Thursday as saying his client would not sign a
contact at Liverpool “for £700,000, £800,000, £900,000 a week”, with the
comments prompting the club to cancel talks due to take place on
Friday.

However, Rodgers insists there has been
no breakdown in relationship between him and Sterling. “Raheem has two
years left and I expect him to see that two years through and continue
to behave as immaculately as he has done,” he said. “We want to resolve
the situation but it doesn’t change my approach to him. There is no
problem there,” he added.

With 25 months left on Sterling’s
deal, worth 35,000-a-week, Liverpool seem prepared to play hard ball in
the knowledge the player stands to lose up to £12m in earnings if he
sticks to his agent’s promise not to sign a new contract.

Rodgers
also said he had confidence in the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group,
to make the right decision over Sterling’s future.

“They
took over a club a number of years ago that was in a really critical
situation and they have done an incredible job to stabilise the club and
point it in the right direction,” he said. “At every opportunity when
they have had to show that strength - whether it be with a player or
other elements of the club - they have done that. In this situation they
will show that power and strength again.”

Rodgers confirmed Sterling is fit and available for Liverpool’s trip to Stoke on Sunday but Mario Balotelli is a doubt.